Merlin's Riddle
by CosmicWanderer10
Summary: Hidden in the Caverns below Cackles itself is Merlin's Chamber. in it lies a riddle devised by the great Master himself. whoever can solve it will be heir to the power of Merlin himself! for centuries many have tried and failed to solve the riddle. What happens when it's discovered that the Worst Witch in the school succeeded where even the great wizard failed.
1. Chapter 1

Merlin's Riddle

Chapter 1

It started out as a pretty normal day at Cackles academy. Mildred was running late as usual. Someone, Mildred could make a guess who, had used up the hot water ahead of her so she was stuck with a cold shower.

Fortunately, it was a warm morning so that wasn't too bad. Finally, she rushed down to the breakfast line. She found out really quick that trying to run and braid your hair at the same time isn't easy! She skidded to a stop behind Enid and Maud.

Finally, after they had gotten their breakfast, A cream of wheat type hot cereal and toast they sat down at their usual table. That's when Mildred noticed something strange Miss Hardbroom and Miss Cackle seemed to be in an awful hurry about something.

To start with it wasn't like them to rush through a meal but that was exactly what they were doing.

"What's all the hurry about?" asked Mildred, turning to her friends.

"Miss Cackle just got word this morning that they Great Wizard is coming back for another visit today." Said Enid nonchalantly.

"I wonder why?" said Mildred, "it hasn't been that long since his last visit!"

"That's the strange part," said Maud, "Miss Cackle and the other Faculty seem to know why he's coming but they won't tell anyone."

A few minutes later breakfast time was over at the students headed off to their various classes. Mildred realized that she needed to go back to her room to get her book back and head off at a dead sprint for the staircase. Even without magic she made it back to her room in record time and grabbed her satchel off the bed. Just as she came within ear shot of the bottom of the stairs she heard the great wizard and Miss Cackle talking. Apparently for some privacy they had stepped into the bottom of the stairwell. Mildred paused just out of sight and listened. She wasn't' ordinarily an eavesdropper but she was too curious to not take this chance to find out what was going on.

"Ada," he was saying, "I'm sure I have the answer this time!" The Great Wizard was really excited.

"Indeed, your greatness," said Ada, "It would be quite accomplishment to solve Merlin's Riddle. Especially since no one has been able to solve it in nearly eight hundred years!"

"it would be the crowning achievement of any practitioner in the magical world!" he replied, "Well shall we Adjourn to the Riddle Chamber for my moment of triumph."

As Miss Cackle and the Great Wizard turned to go Mildred came down the stairs into view.

"Miss Cackle," she blurted out, "What's Merlin's riddle? And What's the Riddle Chamber?"

Miss Cackle Jumped and turned around.

"Mildred Hubble," she said, "how long have you been listening?"

"I didn't mean to eavesdrop mum," said Mildred, "I went back to my room to get my satchel and I came down the stairs just time to hear you two talking about solving Merlin's riddle and going to the riddle chamber.

Ada sighed,

"Ah well I generally frown on eavesdropping but since you already heard that much you might as well know the rest of it. Back about eight hundred years ago the legendary Merlin himself decided to find an heir. To find one that was worthy of his almost unimaginable powers he built a chamber in a large cavern in the mountain underneath this very school. Of course, that was centuries before the academy ever existed. In that chamber he placed a riddle. It's a puzzle that must be solved by the person to prove themselves worthy to be the Heir of Merlin and to inherit his power."

"Wow," said Mildred in an awestruck voice

"Wow indeed," said the Grand Wizard, puffing himself up, "and today yours truly shall be that heir." As he said this he seemed to get an idea.

"Miss Cackle," he said, "It might not be a bad idea to select a delegation of your students to accompany us into the chamber and bear witness to my triumph."

Ada wasn't sure that it was such a good idea but she couldn't refuse the grand Wizard.

"Very well," she said, "Since Mildred already knows what's going on she might as well go."

"Mildred," she said, turning to her, "Please go and bring Maud, Enid, Ethel and Esmerelda here." Mildred nodded and hurried off to do as she was told.

The girls were dumbfounded when Mildred told them what was going on. Even Ethel was at a loss for words.

Esmerelda was the first one to break the silence. As they headed back to meet Miss Cackle and the Great Wizard.

"Incredible," she said, "Merlin's legendary riddle chamber has been right under our feet all this time and none of us knew it!"

Mildred nodded, "the Great Wizard believes that he has finally solved the riddle and he wants us to be his witnesses."

When they reached Miss Cackle, Miss Hardbroom had joined them. To chaperone the girls she said. Mildred wondered if maybe that was only part of her reason for joining them she suspected that Miss Hardbroom was just as curious as they were to see if the great wizard and actually discovered the secret to the riddle after all this time and al the many failed attempts by other witches and wizards.

Miss Cackled lead the group down into the archives and back to the back wall of the room. When she got there she paused and touched an certain reddish stone that was in the wall at eye level. She tapped on it in a pattern 1,1,2, Mildred noticed. The wall before transformed into a massive carved stone gate that swung open before them. Behind them was a long white marble spiral staircase that twisted down into the bowels of the earth until it was out of sight in the darkness. As they descended the stairway runes that were carved into the stones around them began to glow and light their way.

Minutes later they were at the bottom. Stepping through another doorway they found themselves in the chamber itself. The chamber was built out of a large stone cavern inside the mountain under the school. In the exact center of the room was a large stone platform. On the platform was a pedestal and on the pedestal, was a stand with a beautiful ring. Ornately carved silver band with a large blood red stone in the setting. Surrounding the platform and pedestal was an undulating and everchanging patter of light and shadows that illuminated the area of the floor between where they were standing and the platform. On the walls of the chamber Mildred noticed old English words carved into stone. Like most of the other students she had been learning old English as part of the curriculum, so she actually knew that the words were THE KEY, THE PATH, THAT WHICH BANISHES DARKNESS

Miss Cackle spoke.

"This is Merlin's riddle chamber," she said, "The prize is of course the ring. The riddle is how to get past the protections Merlin set up and get to the ring."

"And that," said the Great Wizard Squaring his shoulders, "is what I intend to do now. For I have discovered and old English spell that I believe is the key to the riddle."

The Great Wizard spoke in old English with great solemnity.

"in Day or Night, in winter's wind or summer's shade let the way for me now be made." There was a ripple of energy arcing in the as the two magics met. When it subsided, the great wizard turned and smirked triumphantly the girls and the two teachers then he turned and walked toward the pedestal. As soon as he stepped into the ring of light and shadows there was a bright flash of light, several energy arcs and the great Wizard was blown backwards end over end over the girl's heads to land in an upended heap in the doorway. Miss Cackle and Miss Hardbroom raced to help him up.

The girls immediately had to bite back their laughter. The great wizard wasn't physically hurt but his robe and trousers had been magically singed off up to his thighs and the top of his hat was blown off too.

"Okay, Okay," he said, brushing off the two teacher's efforts "I'm Alright!" he straightened up and trying to salvage what was left of his dignity.

"Well, back to the drawing board," he said. He waved his hand and vanished.

After he was gone the teachers herded the girls out of the chamber and back to class with instructions not to tell anyone else that the location of the chamber.

############

After the Grand Wizard's embarrassment, the rest of the day had passed uneventfully. Mildred now laid in her bed but sleep wouldn't come. she knew it had to be past midnight she watched the light from the full moon as it shown through her window and made different shaped shadows from the various objects in her room. What was really on her mind were the words on the walls of the chamber. THE KEY THE PATH THAT WHICH BANISHES DARKNESS. No one else seemed to even notice those words. But she couldn't help wondering what they were referring to.

She was absent mindedly holding up two fingers and wiggling them in the moon light. Suddenly she stopped short.

"Two," she whispered counting her extended fingers, "no not two but to. The Key _to_ the path, That which banishes darkness! But what banishes darkness." About the time she softly whispered that question to herself a cloud outside moved in front of the moon and her room grew dark. A few moments later the cloud moved away and her room was softly illuminated again.

Mildred's eyes widened.

"That's it," she whispered excitedly sitting up straight in bed, "Light, Light banishes darkness!" that's when she remembered the right of light and shadows that surround the platform down in the chamber. And a thought appeared to her. She suddenly believed she had figured out the real secret to Merlin's riddle. But what if she was wrong she wouldn't be able to hide that from anybody. Especially if what happened to the great wizard happened to her.

She flopped back down on the pillow and stared at the ceiling. Sleep still wouldn't come. first she couldn't sleep because she could figure out what those words meant and now she couldn't sleep because she was to curious to know if she had solved Merlin's Riddle. After a few more minutes her curiosity threw her better judgment out the window. Hopping out of bed, and still in her night shirt she slipped out of her room and down the hall. Fortunately, Miss Hardbroom was even asleep by now.

Mildred Made her way downstairs into archives and back to the back wall. Reaching up she tapped the red stone in the same pattern that Miss Cackle had used 1,1,2. The gateway opened and gathering her courage she started down the stairs. Soon she was in the chamber. Walking up the edge of the ring of light and shadows she watching for a moment as she shifted and changed.

"Well," she said to herself, "Here goes nothing."

She hopped onto the first lighted patch and then to another before the light moved off the one she was standing on. She kept on hopping from one to another until suddenly unbelievably she was able to hop up onto the platform. She stood there for moment staring at the ring on the pedestal. She could barely believe that she had been right. But did she dare take the ring. Miss Cackle said it was prize to whomever solved the riddle. By that reasoning she had every right to it. She reached out and picked up the ring.

As soon as she did energy came from every conceivable direction and flooded into her person the arcing the energy pulsating though her lifted her off of the ground and held her in place. The light finally began to die down and she was lowered back to the ground. Once she was on the ground she took a step forward. The patches of light organized themselves into a path for her walked out on. Once she had passed however they returned to normal.

Mildred started back up the stairway trying to wrap her mind around what had just happened. That's when she realized that new runes had appeared on the staircase before they said,

"What was mine is now yours use it wisely use it for good."

 _ **TBC….well there is chapter 1 tell me what you think.**_


	2. Chapter 2

Merlin 2

Chapter 2

Mildred didn't sleep very much for the rest of the night. She was almost in a state of shock and disbelief over what had just happened to her did she really have the power of Merlin himself. It was almost a frightening thought. How could she of all people manage that much power? Should she tell someone, should she keep it a secret. And what about the Great Wizard? What would he do when he found out that a schoolgirl and not just any schoolgirl, but the one everyone call the Worst Witch had succeeded where he failed so miserably!

All these thoughts raced through her head until near dawn she finally drifted off again. She wasn't sure how long she slept when she was awakened by Maud pounding on her door as usual. Mildred scrambled out of bed and into her clothes. Just as she as walking towards the door she glanced down at her hand and saw the ring. It was still perched on her finger.

"Probably best not to walk down the hall sporting this right now." She said to herself. Rummaging through her things she found a small piece of beaded chain. Threading it through the ring she placed it around her neck and hit it under her neckline.

After she had rigged up this new necklace she stood up and hurried out of the room. When she got to breakfast Enid and Maud were waiting for her.

The girls got their food and made their way to the table. As they sat down Maud spoke.

"Are you guys ready for Miss Hardbroom's potion test today?" she asked before taking a spoonful of her hot cereal.

"As ready as you can be for one of her tests." Said Enid. Mildred hadn't even thought about that test since yesterday afternoon. All she could think about right now was the ring that was hidden under the front of her shirt.

She began to absent mindedly eat her breakfast. After a few minutes, she looked up to find her friends gazing at her curiously

"Millie, are you alright?" asked Maud

"Yeah," said Enid, "you're not usually this quiet."

"Got a lot on my mind," said Mildred, "What with the test and all," she added quickly.

When the answer seemed to satisfy her friends, Mildred felt relieved and let out a breath she hadn't realized that she had been holding. A few minutes later they were done with their meal and it was time to go to class.

Mildred and her friends walked into the potions classroom and sat down in their usual places. Mildred turned and looked nervously around the room. Miss Hardbroom had not appeared yet and Mildred was worried about what would happen when she did. The woman had eyes like a hawk especially when it came to noticing what she did wrong.

Mildred was especially worried about what would happen when Miss Hardbroom found out about the ring. As she glanced around the room Mildred saw Ethel Hallow sitting in her usual place with her head tilted up at a haughty angle.

"I know Ethel doesn't have the most ideal relationship with her parents," she mused, "it may explain why she treats other people and her sister the way she does, but It doesn't justify it."

Ethel noticed Mildred looking at her and was about to say something when Miss Hardbroom appeared. As she Materialized so did the test papers and a cauldron in front of each of the girls.

"the test today," she said in her usual even and guarded manner, "Will consist of two parts the first is the written test, upon completion of the written test you will then use the cauldron I have provided to make the potion listed on the final page of the test. No two students have the same potion so it will do no good to watch your fellow students. All students must work alone. When you are finished, you may leave."

"oh brother," said Mildred half under her breath, "and I barely pass HB's tests when I have Maud and Enid's help."

Maud heard what Mildred said to herself and leaned over to her.

"you can do it, Millie," she whispered, "have faith in yourself."

"Class," she said, "you may begin now."

The girls all turned over their papers and began to work. Mildred read the first and question.

"Hey," she realized, "I know the answer to that one." She marked the correct answer and moved onto the next one. Again, she knew the answer and again and again. As she made her way through the test she began to get faster and faster. Almost before she realized it she found herself at the end of the written test. She looked down below the question and saw two words.

ENERGY POTION

As soon as she read the words she knew without a doubt how to make the potion. She even knew how to improve the basic recipe. She stood up and walked over the cart with the potion ingredients. She picked up all the ingredients she needed and turned to walk back to her caldron. That's when she realized a that everyone else including Ethel were still working on their written test. Ducking her head a little she walked back over to her caldron and proceed to add the ingredients in perfect amounts and stir them together. When it was done, she filled a small vile with the potion and with a wave of her hand vanished the Caldron. Then she walked up and sat her written test and the vile of potion on the desk in front of a very surprised Hardbroom.

Mildred turned around and met the astonished stares of her friends. She gave a nervous smile and walked out of the room. Out in the hallway she leaned against the wall.

"I do have Merlin's power and Knowledge!" she turned and fled back to her room. About thirty minutes later there was a knock on her door. Mildred answered the door and found Maud and Enid there.

"Millie," said Enid, as Mildred closed the door behind them, "What's wrong, you've been preoccupied all morning and then you finish one of HB's tests in record time something even Ethel Hallow can't do!?"

"guys," she said, "there's something that I need to tell you before I burst." Mildred pulled the ring out from under the front of her shirt. Her friends gasped in awe.

"Millie," gasped Maud, "That's Merlin's ring! How?"

"I sort of solved the riddle last night while everyone was asleep." Mildred admitted almost guiltily.

While her friends listened half stunned, Mildred filled them in on the whole story.

Meanwhile…Miss Hardbroom was having a discussion, about Mildred, with Miss Cackle.

"Hecate," said Miss Cackle, "are you absolutely sure about this?"

"Of course, I am," she said, "I was there and I watched as Mildred Hubble finished that test, both the written and the potion combined, in eight minutes' flat! And both the written test and the potion, were flawless. She even managed to improve on the original recipe for the potion."

Ada shook her head in wonder,

"Astounding, improvement." she said

"Nothing of the sort," Miss Hardbroom half snorted, "when The Worst Witch in the School suddenly out performs Ethel Hallow the best student in the class there is only one explanation, cheating!"

Miss Cackle as about to gently admonish her deputy headmistress for jumping to conclusions when Miss Bat and Mr. Rowan-Webb burst into the room.

"Ladies," he said, "We have a major problem!"

"What is it?!" said Ada half rising for her chair.

"we were just downstairs in the archives," said Miss Bat almost in a tizzy, "The gateway to the chamber was open and the ring was gone!"

 **TBC** _ **please let me know what you**_ think


	3. Chapter 3

Merlin 3

Chapter 3

Ada Cackle and Hecate Hardbroom stood there in stunned silence. The news that Miss Bat and Mr. Rowan-Webb seemed almost too astonishing to believe.

"The Ring is gone!?" Miss Cackle exclaimed jumping to her feet.

"But how could anyone have entered and left the chamber without us knowing about it?!" said Miss Hardbroom

"I don't know," said Miss Bat, "But he or she did it. And they obviously solved the riddle too."

"I must inform the Great Wizard at once," said Miss Cackle, "The possessor of that ring will have received the power and knowledge of Merlin making them one of the most if not the most powerful Witch or Wizard around!"

"if that ring is in the wrong hands it could mean the downfall of the magical world as we know it!" Said Miss Hardbroom

"Now, now," said Mr. Rowan-Webb, "Let's not get ahead of ourselves Miss Hardbroom we don't know that the person who as the ring is a ner-do well. It could just be someone who wondered into the chamber during the night and got lucky. That chamber is part of a cave system inside the mountain you know and there are bound to be other entrances."

"Will all due respect, Mr. Rowan-Webb," said Miss Hardbroom, "While there may be other entrances to the cave system that Chamber was built with only one way in or out and Magical Transportation can only be used when the gateway to the chamber is open. Miss Cackle wouldn't be so careless as to leave the hidden gate way open. Plus, the notion that someone could have solved Merlin's riddle, a riddle that no one has solved in eight hundred years, by accident is completely absurd!"

Mr. Rowan-Webb was about to Reply when Miss Cackle held up her hand.

"Enough," she said sternly, "This is no time for bickering! How ever it happened, it happened. the riddle has been solved. We need to find this person before they hurt themselves or someone else with their new power.

Up in Mildred's room she and her friends were still talking about the ring.

"Millie," said Enid, "what are you going to do now?"

"Well," Replied Mildred, "My Plan was to keep it a secret for the time being until I get a better handle on what I'm truly capable of now. I mean you should've seen all the power that flooded into me when I picked up the ring."

"I don't know how long you'll be able to keep it a secret," said Maud, "Miss Hardbroom isn't going to let how fast you finished that test just slide."

"I know, I know," Said Mildred, "I didn't even realize how fast I had finished until I was finished, and I'm also certain that all my answers and the potion are perfect."

"Oh no," said Maud, "A perfect score, usually that's good but in this case, it could be a disaster!"

"What do you mean by that?" asked Enid

"I think I know," said Mildred, "Here I am usually one of the lowest scoring students in her class, and today out of the blue I out score Ethel Hallow, who consistently scores the highest in the class that's going to draw a lot of attention to me."

"No offense Millie," said Maud Quickly

"None Taken," said Millie, "You're absolutely right."

"You need to tell Miss Cackle," said Maud

"I suppose you're right," said Mildred, "I don't know how she'll take it though. I wonder if she'll be proud of me for solving the riddle or upset with me."

"It's Miss Hardbroom and the Great Wizard I'm worried about," said Enid

"Me too," said Mildred, "Miss Hardbroom will probably give me detention for life for sneaking back into the chamber last night, and the Great Wizard will probably explode!"

"The Great Wizard explode," Said Enid with a snicker, "Now that'd be a sight to see!"

"Enid!" scolded Maud trying to hide her own smile. Enid Changed the subject.

"Have you discovered any new abilities now that you have all this power?" she asked

"Well so far just that I know a lot more about Magic than I used to," said Mildred, "I've been too scared of the power to really experiment."

"Why," said Enid, "You solved the riddle, the power is your reward, as long as you don't deliberately do anything wrong with it why shouldn't you experiment?!"

Mildred considered this for a moment and decided that Enid had a point.

"Okay," She said, "I'll try Transportation like Miss Hardbroom does."

"Mildred," said Maud who was ever the voice of reason, "I don't think_,"

"Oh, don't be such and stick- in- the- mud, Maud," said Enid, "Let Millie have some fun."

"I just don't want her to get hurt," said Maud

Mildred stood up and thought a minute trying to figure out where she should transport to. Suddenly a picture of her mother popped into her head and in the next instant she was standing in her own living room. Julie looked up from her book and was very surprised to see Mildred standing there.

"Millie Love," she said, rushing over had kissing the top of Mildred's head "What are you doing here?" then a worried look crossed her face, "You didn't get expelled again did you?"

Mildred shook her head,

"No Mum," she said, "To Make a long story short, Last night I solved a riddle devised by Merlin himself and my reward was Merlin's power and knowledge. I was just experimenting with the power, I thought of you, and here I am."

Julie Hubble was at a loss for words. She sank down onto to the couch and stared at her daughter.

Mildred hugged and kissed her mom,

"I try to explain it better later," she said, "Right now I'd better get back before anybody misses me, or I will get expelled!" In the blink of an eye Mildred Vanished again and reappeared in her room in front an astonished Maud and Enid.

"Where did you go?" asked Enid who was the first one to speak.

"I thought of my mother and I transported there," replied Mildred excitedly, "then I thought of my room here at Cackles and just like that I was back here!"

Before anyone could say anything else there as a knock at the door. Mildred shoved the ring back under the front of her shirt. Enid opened the door to find Esmeralda Hallow standing there.

"Miss Cackle has ordered that all classes for the rest of the day are cancelled and the school is on lockdown. Students are to stay in the bedrooms or in the great hall at meal times."

"Why," asked Enid, "what's going on?"

"The Gateway to the riddle chamber was found open this morning and the ring was gone," Esmeralda replied, "Since you three know about the chamber anyway you might as well know what's going on. Somebody has solved the riddle!"

The three girls exchanged a look.

"So," continued Esmeralda, "the school is on lock down and the great Wizard is on his way here to investigate."

 **TBC** … _ **Let me know what you think**_.


	4. Chapter 4

Merlin 4

Chapter 4

To hours after a communique had been sent, Miss Cackle, Miss Hardbroom and the rest of he faculty watched with baited breath as the Great Wizard Arrived. As soon as he touched the ground he hurried up to Miss Cackle waving off the traditional greeting saying this was no time for formality.

"It's almost unbelievable," said the Great Wizard, "You're certain the ring is gone?!"

Miss Cackle nodded,

"Hecate and I went into the Chamber ourselves after Mr. Rowan-Webb and Miss Bat's report. The ring is indeed gone."

"Then someone has, solved the riddle," said the Great Wizard a twinge of jealously in his voice, "That's the only way that the ring could have been taken."

Miss Cackle nodded.

"it also worries me that someone was able to enter and leave the chamber without anyone knowing about it."

"Yes," said the Great Wizard, "I shutter to think what could happen if that ring has fallen into the wrong hands!"

"I assure you, your greatness we are fully aware of the gravity of the situation." Said Miss Hardbroom.

"Well, let us go into the chamber and look around," The Great Wizard said.

The Faculty made their way down into the Chamber and the Great Wizard began to look around. He walked all the way around the chamber.

"I can't see how it was done or who did it," he said finally, "The Shields that Merlin put up are still in place, yet the ring is gone."

"Shouldn't we be able to use detection magic to sense the presence of power that great?!" Asked Mr. Rowan-Webb

"Not Necessarily," said Great Wizard, "Merlin was a master of cloaking his presence and it was said that he had programmed his magic, if you will, to shield him and block all attempts to locate him."

Miss Cackle nodded, "And you think that Merlin's Magic might also protect its new wielder in the same way."

"I do," said the Great Wizard, "Merlin's Magic was almost a living thing."

Miss Cackle and Miss Hardbroom looked at each other exchanging a nervous look. The more the great Wizard told them, the More uneasy they felt about the whole situation.

Meanwhile…

Mildred and her Friends sat in the great hall eating their lunch. Despite the best efforts of the faculty, word of what was going on had leaked out. Everyone was talking about it and wondering who had solved the riddle and made off with the ring.

Mildred had to stop herself repeatedly from fingering the ring around her neck.

"I thought that Esmeralda was supposed to keep all of this quiet!" Mildred hissed to her friends.

"Well someone, who was in on it, blabbed," said Enid

She glanced over her shoulder at Ethel Hallow and Drusilla Paddock who were sitting several places down the table from them.

"And I could make a guess who."

Mildred and Maud noticed where she was looking.

"Of course," said Mildred, "Esmeralda certainly would have told Ethel."

"And, of course Ethel would have told Drusilla." Added Maud, "I'll just bet that one or, both let it slip."

The others nodded in agreement.

Mildred and her friends were almost finished with their food when the Great Wizard and the faculty entered the great hall and sat down at the faculty table. They ate their food in uncharacteristic silence looking very grave.

After a few more bites of food, the Great Wizard wiped his mouth on his napkin and stood up. He held up his hands for silence.

"I have and announcement to make," he said, "I sure that many if not all have you have heard the legend of Merlin's riddle Chamber. Well that Chamber is real, and it is located in the Caverns below this very school." The Great Wizard paused before continuing, "Well that Riddle has been solved!"

Murmurs rippled through the students. The Great Wizard held up his hand and the Murmurs died down.

"The problem is we don't know who solved it or how, but the ring has been taken. They person came apparently entered and left Cackles last night without anyone being any- the- wiser until the ring was found missing. As of right now I am instigation a search throughout the entire magical world to find the one responsible for solving the riddle."

After the great Wizard finished speaking, Mildred finished her meal quickly turned in her tray and headed back to her room. Enid and Maud follow suit.

"Millie," said Maud, as they sat in Mildred's room, "I know that you are worried about telling anyone what you've managed to do, but this is getting out of hand."

"I know, I know," said Mildred. she sighed, "I guess I know what I have to do." Mildred stood up and headed for the door. She walked down the stairs and into the main hallway with her friends at her heels. Turning she walked down the hall headed for Miss Cackles office. Her thoughts were racing,

"What was going to happen when she came clean," she wondered, she cringed at the thought of Miss Hardbroom. The woman walked around looking like a coiled cobra ready to strike at the slightest irregularity and ready to bury any student of the slightest infraction of the rules. How she would react to this remained to be seen. And then there was The Great Wizard. The Man wasn't evil, but he was egotistical. How he would react after being in such a hurry to solve the riddle himself was also something Mildred couldn't guess.

All too soon she was standing outside the door of Miss Cackles office. She could hear the talk going on inside.

"there is still no luck," said The Great Wizard, "I've sent the word out and have already started getting reports from the searchers that I sent out. Nothing."

"Don't give up yet, Your greatness." Said Miss Cackle, "as you just set you've only just started to get reports."

"With All due respect Ada," said the Great Wizard growing more and more agitated, "Due you have any idea of the true scope of Merlin's power?! Merlin, it is said, could pass into the fifth dimension a realm outside of Space and time itself. This allowed him to travel all over the known universe and beyond in a heartbeat. The man gained magics from all over the cosmos, it's even said that he tapped into the very energy of the universe itself and bend its elements to his will."

Mildred's mouth dropped open as she listened. Just what kind of Creature had she become?! Now she was even more scared but there was no going back now. She raised her fist and knocked on the door.

"Come in," called Miss Cackle. Mildred opened the door and Walked in. Miss Cackle was seated at her desk, Miss Hardbroom was standing next to her and the great Wizard was pacing anxiously. Mr. Rowan-Webb and Miss Bat were seated on a small couch across from where the Great Wizard stood. Esmeralda, being head girl, was there too. She was standing quietly over by the book shelf.

"Mildred Hubble," snapped Miss Hardbroom, 'What are you doing out of your room?!"

Mildred took a deep breath and spoke.

"I came here to tell you something!"

"Whatever it is I'm sure it's hardly important, girl!" snapped the Great Wizard impatiently, "I have already explained the crisis that we are in right now!"

"About that," said Mildred, she reached under her shirt and pulled the ring out from under her shirt,

"I Wouldn't hit the panic button just yet."

The Great Wizard's mouth dropped open and Miss Hardbroom eyes looked like they were going to pop right out of her head.

Miss Cackle put her hand over her heart.

"Mildred!"


	5. Chapter 5

Merlin 5

Chapter 5

For Several seconds you could have heard a pin drop in the room. Everyone was staring at the ring that now hung around Mildred Hubble's neck. The Great Wizard and Miss Hardbroom looked as if they could explode and any moment. The initial look of shock and surprise on Miss Cackle face though seemed to be slowly giving way to pride. Normally composed Esmeralda was standing there with her mouth hanging open.

Finally, the Great Wizards mouth opened and out came a half strangled,

"How," quickly he regained his voice, "How can this be?! How can you have the ring?!"

"I solved the riddle last night." Mildred replied sounding a lot calmer than she felt under the piercing gaze of Miss Hardbroom.

"Mildred Hubble of all the things you've done!" thundered Miss Hardbroom, "Cheating on a potions test then Making a fake ring and trying to convince us that you the worst witch in the school have done in one day what even the greatest of us haven't been able to do in nearly eight centuries!"

"Hecate." Miss Cackle started, the deputy headmistress for once ignored her.

"Mildred Hubble, you give me that fake bobble this instant and go to your room I'll deal with you later!"

Miss Hardbroom grabbed for the ring.

"Hecate don't!" Cried Miss Cackle but it was too late. The instant that Miss Hardbroom touched the rings there was a flash of energy and she was blown backwards over the couch to land against the wall.

Miss Cackle got up and walked over to where Miss Hardbroom was pulling herself up off the floor. She looked up and Miss Cackle sheepishly.

"It is the real ring," she said

"That's what I was trying to tell you Hecate," replied Miss Cackle sounding a bit annoyed, "And the only way that Mildred Could have the ring was to have solved the riddle as she said. It also explains why she did so well on your test. With Merlin's Magical knowledge she could pass any test you give easily. Now for the love of Magic will you control that temper of yours before you make an even bigger fool of yourself!"

Miss Cackle then turned to Mildred.

"I-I'm Sorry Miss Cackle," said Mildred, "I didn't mean for that to_," Miss Cackle held up her hand to stop Mildred.

"That wasn't your fault," she said, "Miss Hardbroom shouldn't have tried to take the ring from you. You are its rightful owner because you solved the riddle. What happened to Miss Hardbroom is what will happen to anyone to touches the ring without your permission."

The Great Wizard cleared his throat loudly reminding that he was in the room.

"How did you solve the riddle, Mildred," he asked

"Well," said Mildred if you don't mind going down into the chamber one more time it would be easier to show you."

"Very well," said the Great Wizard, "Let's go then."

"Uh Your greatness," said Miss Cackle, "Should you send out word to call off the international searches first?"

"O-Oh Yes of Course," stammered the Great Wizard, "I forgot Myself." After the Wizard sent out the notification to call off the search parties, the whole entourage made there way down into the chamber again. Mildred stepped out in front of the group squared her shoulders took a deep breath and spoke.

"The solution to the Riddle," she said, "has been right in front of you the whole time."

"What do you Mean?" asked the Great Wizard

"The old English Words on the wall," She Replied, "They Read THE KEY THE PATH THAT WHICH BANISHES DARKNESS."

"Yes, so what," said the Great Wizard

"Put the word TO between THE KEY and THE PATH," Said Mildred,

"it then becomes the phrase the key to the path."

"The Key to the Path," The Great Wizard repeated to himself. His eyes suddenly widened in realization and then clinched shut in exasperation with himself.

"Do you get it now?" said Mildred, "that Phrase tells us that the secret to the riddle is not finding the magic to take down the defenses that he put up, but that there is a path through them and we just have to find it."

The Great Wizard nodded, and Mildred knew by the look on his face that he was mentally kicking himself. Mildred Continued

"The second phrase, THAT WHICH BANISHES DARKNESS tells us how to find the path. All we must do, is answer the question what banishes darkness? Answer: Light."

"But how does that help you find the path?" asked Esmeralda

"Look the squares that surround the platform," Replied Mildred, "They are constantly alternation between illuminated and darkened. I realized that light was the key because all you had to do was step on the squares when the light was on them. Watch."

Mildred turned and proceeded to use the lit squares as stepping stones they way she had done before. Until she hopped up onto the platform and stood there smiling at the others.

"See simple," she said

"Yes," said the Great Wizard, "It is so simple, I can't believe that neither myself or any of the others who have tried to solve it over the centuries ever thought of it."

"Well maybe that's the very reason that you were never able to solve the riddle," said Mildred as the lit squares lined up and made a path for her again.

"What do you mean?" said the Great Wizard

"All this time you and everyone else who has tried to solve the riddle believed that because puzzle was devised by Merlin himself that the solution would have to be something deviously vague and complex, so you defeated yourselves by making the riddle harder than it was," Said Mildred, "And that's the true brilliance of Merlin he confounded all of you over the centuries by making the solution simple instead of complex."

"What fools we've been," said the Great Wizard Shaking his head, "I think that Merlin's purpose in the riddle was two-fold, one, to find and heir and two to take a bunch of arrogant witches and wizards down a peg or two."

The Great Wizard, Miss Cackle, Miss Hardbroom, Miss Bat, Mr. Rowan-Webb, Esmeralda, Maud and Enid all lined up before Mildred and touched their hands to their foreheads in the traditional salute.

"Well Met, Sister." They all said in unison

A few minutes later they emerged from the Chamber and Miss Cackle sent Mildred and her friends off to their afternoon classes now that the lock down was lifted. A few minutes more found Miss Cackle and the Great Wizard back in Miss Cackles office.

"There remains one more mystery to solve, Ada," said the Great Wizard

"I know," said Ada, "How Mildred got into the Chamber on her own in the first place."

"Right," said The Great Wizard, "Being headmistress of Cackles means that under the code you are also guardian of the Chamber so regardless of whether she saw which stone to hit and the correct pattern to hit it in, only you should be able open the gateway!"

"It should've been utterly impossible for Mildred to have opened the Chamber."

"Except for one thing," said Ada, "She did it."

 _ **TBC….Let me Know what you think**_


	6. Chapter 6

Merlin 6

Chapter 6

Things and Cackles were almost back to normal when Mildred got out of her spell science class. Except for the fact that Mildred once again knew exactly what she was doing and preform her transformation spell perfectly. Mildred had hidden the ring under her shirt again decided that the fewer people who knew about it the better.

Mildred, Maud and Enid decided to drop their books off back at their rooms and them go to supper. Enid and Maud hurried of to their rooms and Mildred turned in the direction of hers. She had just rounded the corner when she stopped short. There before was a strange sight. There was a tall figure in a deep blue hooded cloak standing to the right of the doorway with his back to the wall. She couldn't tell exactly what he looked like because his hood was up and the shadows caused by the hood concealed everything but his mouth and his piercing deep blue eyes. But the strangest thing was that no one else in the hall seemed to notice him.

When their eyes met his mouth turned up in a kind almost goofy smile and his eyes began to twinkle. He spread his arms and bowed like a man bowing to a princess.

She was about to ask him who he was and what he wanted with her when suddenly her own name was almost yelled in her ear.

"Mildred Hubble!"

Mildred almost said, "Yes Miss Hardbroom," out of habit as she turned around but instead of Miss Hardbroom she found Ethel Hallow there. Mildred rolled her eyes and looked toward where the cloaked figure and been standing and he was gone!

Mildred sighed, "What do you want Ethel?"

"Esme just told me the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard," she snapped, "She says that you have Merlin's ring and that you are the one that solved the riddle!"

Mildred sighed again, she knew that she was going to have to face Ethel finding out about the ring sooner or later, but she didn't expect it to be this soon.

" _Esmeralda doesn't have to tell her sister everything does she,"_ Mildred thought wryly. Aloud she said.

"It's the truth, Ethel," she reached up and pulled the ring out from under her shirt long enough for Ethel to see it, then stuffed it back before anybody else saw it. In the next instant, Ethel's face turned red and her eyes turned green!

"It Can't _, It's not possib_," Ethel was so angry she could even finish a coherent sentence she just growled in frustration and stormed off down the hallway in the direction she had come.

Mildred just shook her head as she watched her go.

"As if I didn't have enough problems with her before," she Muttered. The turned and head off to her room. Her thoughts returned to the mysterious cloaked figure she saw, a figure who seemed to be invisible to everyone but her.

Arriving at her room she put her books away and scratched tabby's head. The cat purred contentedly.

"Have to meet Maud and Enid now, Tabby," she said, as she put out some tuna for him, "I'll back later."

She hurried out the door and down the stairs. When she reached the door to main hall a hand reached out, opened it and held it open for her. Mildred looked up right into the face of the blue cloaked man. He smiled his goofy smile and Mildred found her self smiling back. Something about that smile of his was contagious. Mildred stepped into the great hall and the door shut gently behind her. When she glanced back she realized she was alone. The mysterious man hadn't followed her into the room. Turning she rushed back out into the hallway but the man had vanished without a trace.

"I must be losing my mind or something!" she thought to herself. Her friends noticed the worried look on her face when she sat down. They knew something was wrong when she started playing with her food instead of eating it.

"Millie what's wrong?" asked Maud as she said down next to her with her tray of food.

"I think all this power I have may be driving me crazy!" she whispered to her friends

"Huh," said Enid, "A person's own magic can't drive them crazy, why you think that."

"because after you guys left me earlier to go put you books away, I saw strange man in the hallway. He was wearing a deep blue hooded cloak and he had deep blue eyes and a goofy smile. He bowed to me when he saw me. I saw him as plainly as I see the two of you, but he seemed to be invisible to everyone else in the hall even the other teachers.

And just now he opened the door for me. The thing is, the moment my head is turned, he vanishes!

Maud and Enid Looked at each other unsure what to make of their friend's dilemma.

"You guys believe me, right?!" she asked worriedly

"Yes of course we believe you," said Maud

"We've actually seem stranger things than this," said Enid, "I bet it's just some Wizard who found out that you've solved the riddle and is trying to get into your good graces."

"But how could he have found out so quickly," said Mildred,

"Oh, knowing the Great Wizard, and I use the term loosely," said Enid, "He's probably blabbed about you and the ring to half his entourage by now.

"I suppose you could be right," said Mildred, "Oh more thing Ethel knows I have the ring, Esmeralda told her."

"I bet that was bit of shock to little Miss snooty," said Enid

"She confronted me in the hall earlier," said Mildred, "Said she didn't believe that I had ring and was the one that solved the riddle, so I showed her the ring."

"How'd she take it?" Maud asked

Mildred pointed over to where Ethel sat, her face was dark scowl and she was stabbing her dinner roll with her butter knife.

"Right now," said Mildred, "She's steaming her own clams she's so mad."

"So, she took it about like we figured she would," said Enid with a snicker

"I wouldn't worry though," Enid added, "If Merlin was even half as powerful as the great Wizard said, you're more than a match for the entire faculty and student body combined."

"The more I hear about how powerful Merlin was believed to be the more intimidated and scared I feel," said Mildred, "At first I thought I would be neat to have all this new power, that maybe I wouldn't be the worst witch anymore, now I'm not so sure that I want it anymore."

"Millie," said Maud, putting a comforting arm around her friend, "I believe that everything happens for a reason. If you were the one that solved the riddle and gain the power, it's because you were the one that was meant to have it."

"Right," said Enid, "and What's more outside of Merlin himself, I can't think of anyone else that I would trust with that kind of power."

"Thanks guys," said Mildred smiling again, "I needed that."

Miss Cackle sat at the Faculty table chewing her food thoughtfully. Finally, she spoke to Miss Hardbroom next to her.

"I tell you Hecate," she said, "The Great Wizard and I have spent the better part of the day racking out brains and I just cannot for the life of me figure out why that gateway would have opened for Mildred. It just doesn't make sense!"

"Indeed, it does not." Replied Miss Hardbroom

After the meal was over Miss Cackle walked over and spoke to Mildred.

"Mildred," she said, "would you come with me a moment please." Mildred nodded and stood up to follow. Miss Cackle accompanied by Miss Hardbroom and the rest of the faculty, headed down into the archives and back to the back wall.

Miss Cackle stopped and turned to Mildred.

"What are we doing her again Miss Cackle?" she asked

"When this school was built over the entrance to the Chamber all those centuries ago Merlin decreed that the headmistress of this school would also be the guardian of the chamber and that only she would be able to open the entrance."

"So," said Mildred, "last night when I snuck down here into the chamber,"

"you should not have been able to open the entrance," finished Miss Hardbroom, "Yet for some unexplained reason you were."

"Yes," said Miss Cackle, "It makes me wonder if maybe you were chosen to solve the riddle!"

"Chosen," Gasped Mildred Bewildered, "Chosen by who?!"

 _ **TBC… the plot thickens. Let me know what you think.**_


	7. Chapter 7

Merlin 7

Chapter 7

Miss Cackle was silent a moment before answering the question that Mildred had just asked.

"I don't know," she said, "The Great Wizard said that Merlin's magic was almost a living thing, perhaps the magic itself chose you when you were down in the Chamber the first time."

"But when I was down in the Chamber the first time I hadn't even attempted to solve the riddle yet." Replied Mildred.

"I Know," said Miss Cackle, "I do seem to be grasping at straws." She paused a moment then spoke again.

"Mildred," she said, motioning to the wall, "I want you to open the Chamber like you did that night."

"You still don't believe me?" said Mildred sounding hurt

"No, No, No," Said Miss Cackle quickly, "It's not that, Dear. We're just still trying to ascertain how you gained the ability to open the chamber."

Mildred gave a little shrug and walked up to the wall. Reaching up she tapped the red stone in the 1,1,2 pattern. Instantly the gateway appeared and swung open before her.

The Faculty members looked at each other astonished.

"Thank you, Mildred," said the Great Wizard, "You may go now We'll call you if we need you."

The group was surprised again when instead of walking up the stairs Mildred simply vanished!

The group looked at each other more puzzled than ever. A moment later the Great Wizard broke the silence.

"Well this only confirms what already was obvious," he said, "Mildred has been granted the power to open the Chamber."

"But by who," said Hecate, "The magic itself?" The Great Wizard shrugged.

"I think that we must consider the possibility?"

When Mildred got back to her room she found her friends there waiting for her.

"Well what happened," asked Enid

"Miss Cackle and the Great Wizard wanted to see with their own eyes that have the ability to open the chamber."

"Why," asked Enid

"According to the Great Wizard and Miss Cackle, when the Academy was built over the entrance to the chamber Merlin set the entrance up the way it is and decreed that the headmistress of Cackles would also be the guardian of the chamber and the only one that would be able to let anyone into the chamber."

"But, you were able to open the chamber." Said Maud

"Yeah," said Mildred, "And they don't know how, they think that maybe I was chosen to solve the riddle." Her friend's eyes widened.

"Chosen by who!" Asked Enid

"That's the other part of the Mystery," said Mildred, "Miss Cackle even suggested that Merlin's Magic itself chose me."

"incredible," said Maud.

"I suppose in a way it is," said Mildred, "But I can't help wondering if I was chosen, when who chose me and why?"

The other two girls looked at each other and had to admit that they didn't have an answer for the friends question as much as they wished they did. Mildred stood up and stretched her wiry frame.

"I'm going to take a walk in the courtyard before bedtime," she said, "I need to think,"

"We'd go with you Millie," said Maud, "But we've got studying to do."

"It's okay," said Mildred, "I kind of want to be alone." Mildred and her friends stepped out into the hallway and parted ways when they got to the bottom of the staircase.

Mildred lazily strolled around the courtyard looking up at the stars. Her thoughts turned to her mother and in an instant her mother was there.

"What happened?" Julie started the she saw Mildred

"Millie love," she said, "did you just bring me here?"

"Sorry, Mum," said Millie, "Not intentionally, but I'm kind of glad you're here."

"Still adjusting to this Merlin's magic thing, huh," Julie said as she and Mildred sat down on a bench.

Mildred nodded.

"But there's more," she said, "I just found out that when Cackles Academy bas built over the chamber entrance, Merlin decreed that the headmistress of the school would also be the guardian of the chamber and would be only one able to open the gateway. The night that I solve the riddle though, I was able to open the gateway just like Mrs. Cackle did. Now they think that I got into the chamber and solved the riddle because I was chosen to do it."

"And your wondering why you?" said Julie.

Mildred nodded.

"Well," said Julie, "If you were chosen to have this power It's probably because you deserved it."

"We'll see about that!" snapped a Masculine voice behind them.

Julie and Mildred whirled around and found themselves face to face with the Cloaked figure from the hallway.

"What do you want?" said Julie instinctively stepping in front of Mildred

"I want her," he replied pointing a glowing hand at Mildred, "If she surrenders her new power to me no one will be harmed. If not, I shall take it by force!"

"So, my friends were right," said Mildred, stepping around her mother, "Your Earlier appearances, you were just trying to get into my good graces because you wanted Merlin's power!"

The man shrugged.

"Man does what he must to get what he wants!"

"Well you are not getting the power," she snapped, "I would never turn this power over to someone like you!"

"Mildred!" cried her mother. Mildred turned and waved her hand. He mother was moved several yards away.

"Mum," called Mildred, "I've put a shield in front of you, stay where you are, and you'll be fine!"

Mildred was scared but she knew she had to protect her mother and do what ever she could to stop this evil Wizard. She turned just in time to see the stranger's eyes flash. He sent a blast of energy at her and she tucked and rolled under the blast, it slammed into the courtyard wall and the resulting explosion was loud enough to attract attention from inside the school. Miss Cackle, Miss Hardbroom, and the rest of the teachers came rushing outside to see Mildred Hubble in a duel with hooded Wizard.

Enid and Maud were the next ones to explode through the door. They took one look at what was going on and turned to Miss Cackle and Miss Hardbroom.

"Miss Hardbroom, Miss Cackle you've got to do something!"

The teachers rushed down the steps into the courtyard, and jumped between Mildred and her attacker, but the Wizard blew them aside with one move.

"Stay out of this," he growled, "this is between me and girl!" other girls were now coming out to see what was going on and still more were peering through the windows.

They mysterious Wizard once again focused on Mildred, he fired seven blasts simultaneously at Mildred. She instinctively threw up her hands palm up and seven Large round shimmering silver ovals appeared and front of the blasts and reflected them back at her attacker.

Miss Hardbroom gasped when she saw this. She turned to Miss Cackle.

"That Magic," she said, "That was the Seven Shields of Silone! That's one of the most advanced defenses in Magic." Miss Cackle nodded

"And Mildred just preformed it instinctively," she said

When the Mysterious Wizard got his attack reflected at him, he was momentarily distracted. Mildred saw the opening and went for it. She let fly a gold energy blast that hit him square in the chest. He was blown backwards about twenty feet. He landed hard on his back. He lay there coughing and sputtering. He slowly tried to sit up and Mildred could see that there was a hole in his shirt and a scrape across his chest.

Mildred gasped, and her hands flew to her mouth. Then to the astonishment of the faculty and the other students watching she rushed up to man and helped him sit up. She knelt down beside him.

"Are you okay," she asked worriedly.

Julie smiled and shook her head. How typical of Mildred. She was more worried about he man being hurt than of the fact that he had just attacked her.

Mildred looked up and saw the young man looking at her with that same goofy smile appearing on his face. When she looked back down at his chest the wound disappeared and his shirt was restored. She looked up surprised. The young man threw back is head and began to laugh almost gleefully.

"I knew it," he laughed, "I knew it," he jumped to his feet and pulled Mildred up with him, he lifted her up off the ground and kissed the top of her head still laughing.

The looks on the faces of the faculty, Julie, and the girls went from worried to confused. They were beginning to think this guy was crazy.

"You knew what?" said Mildred as he sat her down again.

"When I saw in your mind the other night that you had solved the riddle I just knew it was because you were the one who could be trusted with the power!" he replied, reigning in his glee, "You solved the riddle because you weren't too wrapped up in yourself so see what was right in front of you! The greatest weakest of almost every Witch or Wizard out there now and over the centuries has been vanity! You are not vane at all. Even after you gained the power you haven't been vane or arrogant about it. In fact, you tried to keep it a secret for as long as you could. You only came forward about it when you realized it was the only to save everyone else around here from their own over reactions."

"If you were so sure that I was the right choice, then why did you attack me?!" said Mildred

"It was a test," he replied, "When you fought me I saw in your mind that it wasn't because you cared whether or not you had the power but rather to keep it out of what you considered the wrong hands! And just now when you thought I was hurt you forgot about beating me and tried to help. That makes me very happy, because, it proves to me that I was right to grant you the power to open the chamber, when you came down into the archives that night."

"How could you grant me access to Merlin's chamber?!" asked Mildred the young man smiled,

"Because," he said, "I'm Merlin."

 _ **TBC….Let me know what you think.**_


	8. Chapter 8

Merlin 8

Chapter 8

Mildred stood there with her mouth hanging open. Had that man just said what she though he just said.

"You're who?" she said, he grinned.

"I'm Merlin, Mildred Hubble, pleased to meet you." He turned and waved away the shield in front of Julie.

"And I'm please to meet you Julie Hubble," he said as she walked over, "And just so you know Mildred wouldn't have been hurt even if I had hit her."

"How could that be?" asked Julie, "Those were some dangerous looking attacks!" Merlin smiled and flicked a blast of energy into Julie's chest. It didn't even move her an inch. She looked down, there had been no pain, and her shirt wasn't even wrinkled!

Merlin smiled again.

"I was firing blanks the whole time, you could say."

Then he turned and saluted the teachers and the other students with the traditional salute.

"Well met, Ladies, and gentlemen." The returned the greeting though in a state of shock themselves. their 'Well Met' came out barely above a whisper. Mildred could hardly blame them after all they hardly expected to end up in the presence of the most powerful and legendary Wizard who ever lived.

Merlin fought the urge to roll his eyes. This reaction was why he stayed in the shadows most of the time. He could only take so much butt kissing at one time.

"Are you really Merlin?" asked Mildred. Merlin Chuckled.

"Thought we already established that." He said, his eyes twinkling

"Well I know," she said, "It's just I thought all your power was in the ring you placed in the chamber."

"That's what the story came to be over the centuries," said Merlin, as He, Mildred, Julie, the great Wizard, Maud, Enid, and the Hallow sisters walked up the stairs and into the school. "But the truth is that that ring is really a Talisman that duplicated my power. When I realized this and that whoever was the next person to wear that ring would be granted powers equal to my own I realized that I couldn't just trust the ring to just any witch or wizard.

"And that's why you set up the riddle chamber." Said Mildred as they sat down in the faculty lounge.

"Exactly!" said Merlin, "My greatest concern for the magical world has always been the Arrogance and Vanity of those who posses the gift of Magic, it has been the cause of more tragedies for our kind than I care to enumerate at this point!"

Mildred nodded, and Merlin continued.

"So, to make sure that the ring didn't end up in the wrong hands, I devised a riddle that could not be solved by someone who was consumed by vanity and arrogance. Because people who are wrapped up in themselves, generally, can't see past the end of their noses."

"I see," said Mildred

"Good," said Merlin, "I'm glad everything's clear."

"Yes, Yes," said The Great Wizard, "This is all well and good, but I do not think it would be wise to let Mildred Hubble keep these powers. She's too inexperienced in the ways of Magic to be allowed to wield such power."

Merlin furrowed his eyebrows,

"What makes you think that?"

"Well it just that-I-I mean the Fact is that…" the great Wizard was searching for the words.

"Egbert," said Merlin pinching the bridge of his nose, "Stop stammering and spit it out!"

"Mildred does not come from a Magical background," said Miss Hardbroom, "She only started in Magical study a little over a year ago!"

Merlin turned back to the Great Wizard,

"Is that what you were getting at, Egbert?" he asked. The great Wizard nodded.

Mildred sat there on the settee between Merlin and her Mother, her head bowed, and her fists clenched. She was so sick and tired of being reminded that she was the odd one out just because of her background and always being made to feel like she didn't belong here.

"They're right," said Ethel Hollow, "The power should be taken and given to someone with more experience, someone raised in Magic. Mildred Hubble in her time here has caused more accidents and disasters than any student in the history of magic!"

Merlin turned to Mildred, and to everyone's surprise he took one of her hands in his and looked at her kindly.

"Is this true," he asked, "You don't come from a magical background?" Mildred looked up and nodded.

Merlin nodded, released her hand, stood up and walked over by one of the book cases, he stood there in silence for several seconds.

"Well," thought Mildred, "At least he didn't blow his stack like the Great Wizard did."

Nobody noticed that Merlin's hands were clinching into fists. Suddenly he whirled around his eyes were blazing gold fire. Instantly reality itself seemed to partially dissolve around them Mildred looked up and realized she was looking out into Space and time the planets were aligning above her.

She jumped up and ran over to where Merlin.

"Merlin, what's wrong?!" she cried taking his hand, he looked down at her and immediately calmed down. Everything returned to normal.

"I'm sorry Mildred," he said giving her hand and gentle squeeze, "I got angry."

Everyone in the room was staring wide eyed at Merlin. Most of them knew intellectually about the extent of Merlin's power but to actually witness it, was another thing.

"I cannot believe what I have just heard from you people!" he growled scowling at everyone in the room, "You think this girl is not worth of what she's clearly earned and accomplished just because she wasn't born and raised in the magical world!?"

The Great Wizard, Ethel and even Miss Hardbroom seemed to shrink back in fear.

"Well I've got some news for you," he snapped, "I come from a non-Magical background! I didn't start formally studying magic until I was seventeen! And as for her so called accidents, the first time I mixed a potion it caused an explosion that left a 50-foot crater where the cauldron used to be, and the first time I tried a verbal spell I leveled an entire stand of trees. You all witnessed the battle between myself and Mildred in the courtyard she already has way more control than I ever had at her age."

The Great Wizard, Miss Hardbroom, and even Ethel suddenly looked guilty.

"A person's background has nothing to do with their worthiness to study Magic," Merlin continued, "and I'll thank the lot of you to remember that and check your bigoted attitudes at the door because I won't tolerate them!"

Merlin took a breath trying to calm himself from his tirade.

"Now," he said, turning to Mildred, "I have something to ask you."

"What is it?" replied Mildred

"Mildred," he said, "You are the rightful owner of the power from the ring you earned it never doubt that no matter what anyone else thinks. It's also true that you have barely scratched the surface of what you are truly capable of now, and that's the reason that I'm here. I want to aske you to become my apprentice."

"Your Apprentice!" Mildred Gasped Merlin nodded

"Here's how it will work, you'll stay here at Cackles because there a still many things about the science magic and such that you can learn here, but there is also many magics that I have picked up from across the universe that they know nothing about and that's where I come in. I'll be here too for as long as you need me. I'll teach you everything I know."

Mildred turned to her mother,

"What do you think, Mum?" she asked.

"It's up to you, Millie Love," she said touching Mildred's cheek gently, "It sounds like you have an amazing destiny ahead of you."

Mildred smiled hugged her mom and turned to Merlin.

"Well," he said holding out his hand to her, "What do you say?"

She took his outstretched hand in a handshake.

"Teach Me."

 _ **The End**_

 _There it is, the final chapter. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it._


End file.
